The invention relates to a method for producing a plug-in connector. The invention further relates to a plug-in connector comprising a first tubular component and a second tubular component, and also a first connection geometry and a second connection geometry, wherein the first connection geometry is arranged in a first connection plane, and wherein the second connection geometry is arranged in the first connection plane.
Plug-in connectors are used, for example, to connect a hose or the like to a tank or a pipeline. For this purpose, for example, a connector piece with a locking device can be provided at one end of the plug-in connector. At another end of the plug-in connector, an attachment piece for a hose can be provided, for example in the shape of a Christmas tree with a plurality of projections.
A plug-in connector of this kind with a one-piece body is known from DE 10 2006 030 058 B4, for example. The production is usually by plastic injection moulding using a tool prepared for a special shape of the plug-in connector. FIG. 1 of DE 10 2006 030 058 B4 shows, for example, a plug-in connector in which a first longitudinal axis of the connector piece extends perpendicularly with respect to a second longitudinal axis of the attachment piece. The plug-in connector thus bends through 90°.
However, if another relative angle between the first longitudinal axis and the second longitudinal axis is needed (for example any desired angle between 0 and 90°), a specific new tool is needed for each relative angle, the production of which tool is relatively time-consuming and expensive. Attachment pieces of this kind can therefore be produced cost-effectively only for standard relative angles and/or in large batch numbers.
The object of the invention is therefore to make the production of a plug-in connector more flexible and more cost-effective.
According to the invention, this object is achieved by a method for producing a plug-in connector, which plug-in connector comprises a first tubular component and a second tubular component, and also a first connection geometry and a second connection geometry, wherein the first connection geometry is arranged in a first connection plane, wherein the second connection geometry is arranged in the first connection plane, and wherein the first connection plane is inclined with respect to a first longitudinal axis of the first component, and wherein the first connection plane is inclined with respect to a second longitudinal axis of the second component, and wherein a relative angle between the first longitudinal axis and the second longitudinal axis can be modified by rotating the first component with respect to the second component, said method comprising the following steps:                selecting a relative angle between the first longitudinal axis and the second longitudinal axis by rotating the first component with respect to the second component,        integrally bonding the first connection geometry to the second connection geometry at the selected relative angle.        
Thus, according to the invention, a first tubular component and a second tubular component are first made available which, for example, can be produced individually by injection moulding. Here and in the text below, for the sake of simplicity, the first tubular component and the second tubular component are referred to as first component and second component. The tubular components do not necessarily need to have a circular cross section here, and instead the cross section can also be of any other shape, for example oval, square or polygonal. Furthermore, the shape and size of the cross section of the tube can change along the length of the tubular components.
The plug-in connector moreover has a first connection geometry and a second connection geometry, which are arranged in a common first connection plane. The first connection geometry and the second connection geometry can each be inclined with respect to both longitudinal axes of the first and second component, respectively. In the simplest case, therefore, each of the tubular components has one of the connection geometries at one end. A respective connection geometry can, for example, be arranged circumferentially on an axial end of one of the components. Normally, one of the connection geometries initially engages in the other connection geometry with a form fit, before a final connection is made between the connection geometries. By virtue of the fact that the first connection plane is inclined with respect to both longitudinal axes of the two components, a change of the relative angle between the first longitudinal axis and the second longitudinal axis takes place by rotating the first component with respect to the second component. Thus, by a relative rotation of the first component with respect to the second component, a relative angle between the first longitudinal axis and the second longitudinal axis can be set. The relative angles that are possible here depends above all on the angle at which the connection plane is inclined with respect to the two longitudinal axes. If the connection plane, for example, is inclined by 45° relative to the two longitudinal axes, all relative angles between 0 and 90° can be set by rotating the first component with respect to the second component. However, the first connection geometry and the second connection geometry do not necessarily also have to be arranged in the first component or the second component.
As soon as the desired relative angle is selected, an integrally bonded connection of the first connection geometry to the second connection geometry then takes place. As regards the size of the relative angle, it will be made clear that the first longitudinal axis and the second longitudinal axis do not necessarily have to intersect in each rotation position. Instead, however, an axis parallel to the first longitudinal axis can always be found which intersects the second longitudinal axis, such that a relative angle can also always be defined between first longitudinal axis and second longitudinal axis. However, it is also possible that the first longitudinal axis and the second longitudinal axis always intersect at the same point independently of the rotation position of the two components.
With a method of this kind, it is now possible to produce plug-in connectors with any desired bend angles, wherein in the simplest case only one injection moulding tool is needed for the first and the second component, respectively. Thus, plug-in connectors with any desired relative angles between the two longitudinal axes can be produced cost-effectively, and without additional delay for the production of new tools.
A method of this kind also permits a modular construction in which a large number of different plug-in connectors can be produced from the same basic components. This leads to greater flexibility in production and at the same time reduces the production costs, especially in the case of small batch numbers.
Preferably, the first connection geometry is arranged in an intermediate component which is rotatable with respect to the first component and/or the second component prior to the integrally bonded connection of the first connection geometry to the second connection geometry. For example, the intermediate component can here be in the form of a cylindrical tube section. The first connection geometry is then arranged in the intermediate component, while the second connection geometry is arranged, for example, at an axial end of the first or second component. Prior to the integrally bonded connection of the first connection geometry to the second connection geometry, the intermediate component can be rotatable with respect to the first or second component or with respect to both components. It is also possible that the intermediate component is from the outset connected in a rotationally fixed manner to the first component or the second component, in particular locked, and the second connection geometry is arranged in the component that is not connected in a rotationally fixed manner to the intermediate component. Such an intermediate component makes it possible to add further functionalities to the plug-in connector, and, particularly if the intermediate component is designed as a separate component, it is not even necessary for a tool for the production of the first component or the second component to be adapted. Rather, a modular construction is conceivable in which plug-in connectors with intermediate component or without intermediate component can be produced with the same tools for the production of the first tubular component and the second tubular component.
It is advantageous if the plug-in connector has a third connection geometry and a fourth connection geometry, wherein the third connection geometry and the fourth connection geometry are arranged in a second connection plane. Such an approach is particularly advantageous if an intermediate component is used. In this case, the third connection geometry and the fourth connection geometry can be used, for example, to connect the intermediate component to the second component, while the first or the second connection geometry is used to connect the intermediate component to the first component. In this case, it is also ensured that the intermediate component is initially rotatable with respect to the first component and the second component and thus, for example, a fluid outlet or the like arranged in the intermediate component can be fixed in any desired rotation position. Moreover, in this case, a connection plane is not to be understood as a mathematical plane but instead as a flat area with a certain spatial thickness.
Preferably, the second connection plane extends parallel to the first connection plane independently of the relative angle between the first longitudinal axis and the second longitudinal axis. This can be achieved, for example, if the intermediate component is cylindrical and has a connection geometry at each end. One of these connection geometries then preferably engages in a respective connection geometry of the first component and the second component. However, it is also conceivable that the first connection plane and the second connection plane do not extend parallel to each other, as a result of which, depending on the embodiment, it is possible to achieve angle ranges of greater than 0 to 90° between the first longitudinal axis and the second longitudinal axis.
It is advantageous if, after the selection of the relative angle between the first longitudinal axis and the second longitudinal axis, the third connection geometry is integrally bonded to the fourth connection geometry. However, it is also conceivable that the third connection geometry and the fourth connection geometry form a locked connection, for example, or that the third connection geometry and the fourth connection geometry are connected by integral bonding prior to the selection of the relative angle.
It is advantageous if at least one integrally bonded connection takes place by friction welding and/or ultrasonic welding and/or hot gas welding and/or laser welding. In this case, for example, one of the connection geometries can have a circumferential, wedge-shaped projection, which engages in a circumferential wedge-shaped recess of another connection geometry. It is preferable if the wedge-shaped connecting projection is larger than the wedge-shaped recess, such that a limited amount of excess material can flow radially inward and radially outward for example, in order to improve the leaktightness of the integrally bonded connection. One or more circumferential edges can also preferably be provided here in order to prevent excess material from reaching a radial outer side or a radial inner side of the first component, the second component or the intermediate component.
Preferably, the plug-in connector has at least one projection arranged on an outer side of the plug-in connector, wherein the projection extends perpendicularly with respect to the first connection plane. It is particularly preferable if at least one such projection is arranged respectively on the first component and on the second component. This permits a very simple check of the selected relative angle between the first component and the second component. Preferably, the at least one projection on a radial outer side of the first component or of the second component is arranged adjacent to the first connection geometry or to the second connection geometry. The projection preferably extends perpendicularly with respect to the first connection plane, as a result of which the relative angle between the first longitudinal axis and the second longitudinal axis can be optimally controlled.
The abovementioned object is also achieved by a plug-in connector that is produced by a method according to one of claims 1 to 7.
The abovementioned object is furthermore achieved by a plug-in connector which is of the type mentioned in the introduction and which is characterized in that the first connection plane is inclined with respect to a first longitudinal axis of the first component, wherein the first connection plane is inclined with respect to a second longitudinal axis of the second component, and wherein the first connection geometry is integrally bonded to the second connection geometry.
Such a plug-in connector therefore has a first connection plane that is inclined both with respect to a first longitudinal axis of the first component and also with respect to a second longitudinal axis of the second component. Both the first connection geometry and also the second connection geometry are arranged in the first connection plane. Within the meaning of the invention, a connection plane is not to be understood as an exact two-dimensional mathematical plane, but instead as a flat area with a certain spatial thickness. Although the first connection geometry and the second connection geometry are integrally bonded in the finished plug-in connector (for example by friction welding or ultrasonic welding), they can nevertheless usually be identified by at least one circumferential radial widening in the area of the first connection geometry and of the second connection geometry.
The same applies in respect of any third connection geometry and fourth connection geometry.
A plug-in connector of this kind can thus be produced with a modular construction in which the same first and second tubular components are used for a large number of different plug-in connectors. This reduces the production costs and increases the flexibility of production.
Preferably, the first connection geometry is arranged in an intermediate component, wherein the second connection geometry is arranged in the first component or in the second component. Such an intermediate component allows additional functions to be added to the plug-in connector, without the first component or the second component (and in particular the tools for producing these) having to be modified. The intermediate component can be provided as a substantially cylindrical tubular section and can have, at both axial ends, respective connection geometries that are each connected to a connection geometry of the first component and to a connection geometry of the second component. Alternatively, the intermediate component can also be connected to the first component or the second component by a locking connection. This has the advantage that usually only one integrally bonded connection has to be carried out by friction welding or ultrasonic welding. However, in this case, it is at the same time necessary that the first component or the second component is modified in order, for example, to permit a locked connection with the intermediate component.
It is advantageous if the intermediate component comprises a secondary attachment. In this case, for example, the intermediate part thus permits an additional branching in the fluid path. Alternatively, the secondary attachment can also be used to insert a measuring probe, for example, into the plug-in connector.
It is advantageous if a valve is arranged in the intermediate component. Such an embodiment allows a valve functionality to be further added to the plug-in connector. For this purpose, only a tool for producing the intermediate component has to be adapted; by contrast, the tools for producing the first component and the second component do not have to be modified. Thus, a relatively specific shape of the plug-in connector, with any desired relative angles between the longitudinal axes of the first component and of the second component, can also be produced without this incurring excessively high cost.
It is also preferable if a heating element is arranged in the intermediate component and/or a heating line is routed into the plug-in connector through a heating line attachment arranged in the intermediate component. Such an embodiment is particularly advantageous if the plug-in connector is used for a fluid line that conveys a fluid with a relatively high freezing point. This applies especially to the urea lines which are often used in the automobile sector and which in many cases comprise a heating element or a heating line.
It is also advantageous if the first connection geometry and the second connection geometry each extend in a circular shape in the first connection plane. With such a configuration, it is very easy to ensure that the first connection geometry and the second connection geometry can be connected at each desired relative angle between first longitudinal axis and second longitudinal axis. At the same time, such a configuration also permits the integrally bonded connection of the first connection geometry and the second connection geometry by means of friction welding. It will also be noted here that the first connection plane is not to be understood as an exact mathematical plane, but instead also has a certain spatial thickness in which the first connection geometry and the second connection geometry here extend.
It is advantageous if the first longitudinal axis and the second longitudinal axis intersect at a geometric centre point of the first connection geometry and of the second connection geometry. In this embodiment, it is ensured that the first longitudinal axis and the second longitudinal axis always intersect at the same point independently of the relative rotation position of the first component and of the second component. This has the advantage that, particularly in the 0° rotation position between the first component and the second component, a possibly undesired axial offset between the longitudinal axes does not occur. In this case, it is thus possible that the first longitudinal axis and the second longitudinal axis lie exactly on each other in the 0° rotation position between the first component and the second component.
It is also preferable if the first component and/or the second component has a radial widening at one end. By means of such a radial widening, the shape and position of the connection geometries can be adapted. For example, it is possible to ensure that the first longitudinal axis and the second longitudinal axis intersect at a geometric centre point of the first connection geometry and of the second connection geometry independently of the relative angle between the first longitudinal axis and the second longitudinal axis. The radial widening preferably has the shape of a spherical shell cutout. It is preferable if the plug-in connector has at least one projection arranged on an outer side of the plug-in connector, wherein in particular the projection extends perpendicularly with respect to the first connection plane. It is particularly preferable here if the plug-in connector has, on the first component and on the second component, at least one projection which is arranged on an outer side and which in each case extends perpendicularly with respect to the first connection plane. Moreover, the first component and the second component can each preferably have two such projections, wherein the projections are then preferably arranged, offset in each case by 180°, on an outer side of the first component and on an outer side of the second component. These projections permit very easy control of the relative angle between the first longitudinal axis and the second longitudinal axis during the production process.
The invention is described in more detail below on the basis of preferred embodiments and with reference to the drawings.